


Third time’s the charm

by redisume



Series: possibilities [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Civil ex boyfriends uwu, Conversation-Heavy, Ex-lovers to ???, M/M, Mentions of drinking but they’re all grown up pls dont attack me, Short Chapters, alternate ending-ish, not fluff but it’s got that güd güd, surprise surprise, this is probably shit lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-16 13:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16087460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redisume/pseuds/redisume
Summary: Five years ago, Jeno and Jaemin ended their 7-year long relationship. Three and a half years ago, they cross paths and like a cruel joke they end up in tears and broken hearts once more. What happens now, when they find each other in the same place again? Whatever does fate have in store for them?Or, ex-boyfriends Jaemin and Jeno meet again for the first time ever since Jeno got back from Europe. They meet in a familiar park under a familiar setting—a city-wide blackout. Things... progress after.





	1. Not the candle-lit dinner you expected

**Author's Note:**

> a possible ending to my nomin au on twitter. this fic can be read as a stand-alone (or so i hope) so you don’t have to know what the story is but feel free to head on over to my account if you feel like reading! @kyungtennie

_“How long are you gonna act like you’re not there?”_

_“I was trying to be quiet, you know. Light footsteps.”_

_“Come on, Jaemin. You?”_

_“Hey, you discredit me too much, Lee Jeno.”  
“Are you laughing at me right now, Jeno?”_

_“No, it’s just—“_

_“You’re still the same.”_

_“Huh? What are you smiling about?”_

_“You’re still the same, Jeno. Even after all this time. That’s why I’m smiling. Do I have to spell it out to you? Now don’t go smiling even more!”_

_“Why, are you perhaps falling in love with me again?”_

 

A safe territory. This was friendly banter, Jaemin had to remind himself. And yet his heart picked up pace, against his will, he’d like to add. _This shouldn’t affect me._

 

It takes a quite a long time for Jaemin to respond. Long enough for the lights in the city to come back on.

 

“In love with you? Please.” One of the things Jaemin was proud of was his voice; how deep it is and how soothing and easy it was to the ears. But _this_ , this wasn’t what he wanted to sound like—all high-pitched and tensioned. It was like he spit out the words out of disgust and that wasn’t what he intended. _Stupid fucking feelings_ , Jaemin thinks. He rolls off his shoulders to ease up and warily looks at the older boy who was taking a swig at his beer. Despite the number of years they’ve known each other and have been together, he finds himself in moments like this where he has no clue what was running inside his ex-boyfriend’s mind. Jaemin’s getting concerned that his poorly thought of reply was making the mood sour, but he didn’t to open his mouth again, afraid that he might not be able to control what comes out of it.

“You didn’t tell Renjun and the others?” Jeno finally breaks the silence that had gone on far too long for Jaemin’s liking. He looks over to his side and sees Jeno eyeing the city below them which was now once again buzzing. There was a glint in his eyes, Jaemin observes. A certain mischievousness that he hasn’t seen since they graduated from university.

 

“Now where would be the fun in that?” He replies in a playful tone, hoping to get back on safer, less unstable ground. Jeno smiles.

 

“You’re gonna have a lot of questions coming your way, you do know that, right?”

 

“Don’t belittle my avoiding skills. Even Ten and Jungwoo wouldn’t be able to milk any information out of me.” Jaemin winks at Jeno, which causes the other to laugh and makes the crinkles around his eyes appear. 

 

 _And then there it was again_. As if all of the things that happened in the recent years never existed. Sure, he’s definitely moved on. There’s no question about that. But Jaemin feels _it_ , deep in his chest, and he knows he’s in big trouble.

 

•

 

“Will you ever tell me why you always leave early every Wednesdays?”

 

Jisung has always been quick to pick up on things. The not-so-little-anymore brat still surprises him.

 

“I am a grown ass man who can do whatever he wants.” Jeno replies evasively, not really in the mood to answer anything as of the moment.

 

“Yeah, a grown ass man who still forgets to take his antihistamines whenever he pets his own cats because a certain someone decided to own them despite being allergic to felines.” Now Mark, Jeno wanted to hit Mark’s head against the wall of the practice room.

 

“Eat shit, Mark Lee.” _What a nice clapback, Lee Jeno. Very mature_.

 

“No really, hyung. Why are you always so eager to leave every Wednesday? It’s not like we close the studio late; we literally end our shifts at eight or earlier. What’s the rush?” Jisung prods, shifting back to their original topic of discussion.

 

“I’ll tell you soon enough,” Jeno tries avoiding once again and he grabs his backpack and makes his way to the door. “I’ll see the both of you tomorrow!”

•

 

Jaemin doesn’t get it.

 

He doesn’t get how oblivious and clueless his friends were. But it was for the better, he reasons to himself. Even if he feels guilty about bailing on them at times. Jaemin hopes Renjun and Donghyuck won’t harbor any ill-feelings towards him if and when he finally tells them. 

 

“I mean, they could always ask, couldn’t they? It’s only because they haven’t asked me anything that they don’t know about everything, right?” His life coach friend, Luna, told him that talking to himself in front of the mirror helps in building a better relationship with and in being kinder to yourself.

 

“Shit, this doesn’t do anything!” Jaemin huffs out of frustration and turns back to his bed and plops down. Now if only Luna told him how he could tell his anxiety to fuck off, that would have probably been better. 

 

It hasn’t been long. A few weeks, maybe a little over two months. Things have been harmless. But boy oh boy, did his heart want to climb out of his chest each time they meet. Jaemin hopes he wasn’t the only one... feeling. Again.

Because if he was, then he truly is fucked.

•

 

_“Jisung?”_

_“Chenle? Why are you calling me? Aren’t you in Australia for a concert?”_

_“Yes, but that doesn’t matter right now. Something’s been eating me up since last weekend and I need to tell you.”_

_“Lele if you’re going to break up with me at least do it in person and not via international call.”_

_“Wha— Jisung Park! Why would you think I’m breaking up with you?”_

_“You sound so ominous and scary what was I supposed to think!”_

_“I—this isn’t even near that!”_

_“Well, what is it that you wanted to say?”_

_“I saw Jaemin and Jeno last weekend before we left Korea. I think they—”_

 

•

 

“Hey.”

 

Jaemin gets awoken out of his reverie. His eyes meet the crescents in front of him. God, he loved his eyes so much; it was easily his favorite. “Yeah?”

 

“You seem a bit distracted. Is everything alright?” If there was one thing Jaemin didn’t like, however, was Jeno’s ability to read his feelings easily like he was a book left open for anyone and everyone to peruse. Curse his ability. 

 

“Yes. Everything is nice and dandy.” Jaemin replies, even though he was definitely _not alright_ and things were _far from dandy_ , but Jeno didn’t need to know that. The guy probably knows it already, even if Jaemin tried to hide it. He clears his throat and focuses back on slicing the slab of meat on his plate, creating smaller chunks, hoping the older will let go of it.

“Okay, but if you ever feel like sharing...” Jeno lets the end of his sentence hang in the air, as if telling Jaemin that he understood his want to keep his concern to himself but that Jeno’s also always there to listen. For some reason, Jaemin feels even more on edge.

 

“Hey Jeno?” Jaemin speaks up again after minutes of silence. Jeno was the one who invited him over for dinner. Now, that wasn’t the weirdest and most out-of-the-ordinary thing that the two of them (being exes and all) have done. But Jaemin feels like what he’s going to initiate might top everything off.

 

The boy across him looks up from his own plate of food and raises an eyebrow in answer.

 

“Do you have perhaps have a candle?”


	2. Falling of crests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah this ain’t it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the tags a bit so please proceed with... caution? 
> 
>  
> 
> Shoutout to my great friend and number one hypewoman who witnessed the shift in the gears of my mind. This is for you, Anna.

Jeno didn’t expect _this_.

 

“A candle?” Was he hearing correctly? Jeno thinks that maybe his mind processed Jaemin’s words a little differently. He sees the blush creep up on the slightly younger guy’s face and he can’t help but think about what happened before. It couldn’t be, could it?

 

And if this really is what’s happening,

 

Why?

 

“O-oh, you know what, I probably shouldn’t have as—”

 

“I,” he blurts in response, clearly not wanting this conversation to end. He clings on to that sliver of hope... and the possibilities of what Jaemin’s question holds. He clears his throat and starts again, “I don’t. Should I...” he hesitates once more before gaining another surge of courage. “Should I get one?”

 

Jeno doesn’t know what made Jaemin’s eyes sparkle with delight but he sure is glad, whatever it was. He feels his own shoulders relaxing. When did he become so tense?

 

“Now that you’ve mentioned it...”

 

Huh. Why was Jaemin pulling out something from his bag?

 

He hears it first before he sees it. The sound of paper rustling and something heavy.

 

Well shit. Jeno _definitely_ did not expect _this_.

 

“So where should we start first?” Jaemin excitedly asks. Clearly he was beyond delighted to talk about... all of this.

 

“Wha— Jaemin what is this?”

 

“They’re candles!” he replies as if it was the most obvious answer.

 

“Nana, I know they’re candles. What I mean to say is... why the fuck did you place the lot of them on my dining table?” Okay, maybe Jeno got a little bit carried away. In his defense, he was taken aback. He thought of something... different and this wasn’t it. Never in a million years did he think this was what would happen next after the younger asked him that question.

 

Jaemin’s smile falters and his confidence starts to waver. He never expected Jeno to get annoyed at him for this. But still, he had a cause and a reason for all of this. “I’m trying to make candles in hopes of selling them.”

 

In the span of five minutes, this has been the most times Jeno has wondered what the fuck.

 

“Before you continue judging me,” Jaemin says, voice becoming smaller, “I’m making and selling these candles because the profit goes to the parents of the kids at the foundation.”

 

Shit. Jeno can’t help but press his hands against his face. Why was Na Jaemin so full of surprises like this? He knows he shouldn’t get annoyed at him, seeing that he was doing... this as a way of helping. But God, does he know how to get his hopes up. Without much contemplation after, he finally formulates a reply. 

 

“Are they scented?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO DONT HATE ME TOO MUCH THIS IDEA JUST CAME TO ME AFTER READING ONE COMMENT (you can scream at me on twitter lol i love seeing your reactions)
> 
> i really planned on making this fluff but my mind...... i promise in the next one,,, real good fluff i swear (unless someone gives me more ideas)


	3. Please remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Even though we shouted out countless times”
> 
>  
> 
> “Even if we have to go around a long way”
> 
>  
> 
> “Even if we fall apart”
> 
>  
> 
> “Even if this repeats”
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _We’ll be alright._
> 
>  
> 
>  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is based on d.ear x Jaehyun’s Try Again
> 
> I know I said this could be a standalone at the start but I’d appreciate it if you guys read the whole au before reading this final chapter for all of the feels hehe

 

Jeno wasn’t one to be late.

 

And yet here he was, zooming through the highway in hopes of still getting to his destination on time. He’d like to think he’s not all to blame. Had it not been for the barista at the cafe who had his order mixed up with someone else, maybe he wouldn’t have missed the green light at that incredibly busy intersection. Or maybe if his toilet flush worked perfectly fine that morning, he wouldn’t have had to waste an hour trying to fix it by himself and then later giving up and calling in someone else to solve his problem.

 

But maybe if he was able to fall asleep earlier last night and maybe if Jaemin wasn’t sending him so many mixed signals, he wouldn’t have been up until the crack of dawn thinking of every conversation that they’ve shared in the last couple of months. One thing he made clear to himself, however, was that he’s starting to form a hatred towards candles.

( _“Thanks for buying one, Jeno.” Jaemin shyly beamed at him. God, he wanted to hate the smiling boy so much but he couldn’t. Not when the candles were for a good cause._

_“For the kids,” he replies. He didn’t know if Jaemin was riling him up on purpose but if he was, then it was working._ )

 

Jeno’s been a mess lately, so to speak.

 

〜

_  
“Hey.”_

_“Yes, Jeno?”_

_“Have you told anyone yet?”_

_“No one’s asked, so no. I haven’t. You?”_

_“Jisung and Mark have been at my neck lately, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t get myself out of.”_

_-_

_“Why the sudden silence?”_

_“It’s just… I feel like we’re back to being kids, you know? Keeping secrets and all. It’s kind of thrilling, if I’m going to be perfectly honest.”_

_“Ah, do you like living on edge, Mr. Na?”_

_“Shut up, dancer boy.”_

_-_

_“Now it’s your turn. Why the sudden quietness, Jeno?”_

_“We’re…”_

_“Alright, aren’t we?”_

_“We are. We’ve been alright for quite a while now, don’t you think? Or were our conversations when you were still in Europe nonexistent and I was only imagining things?”_

_“Just wanted to make sure.”  
_

 

Lately, that memory has been all that’s occupying Jaemin’s thoughts. It was during their first meeting again after Jeno’s return where the two of them find each other in a familiar park. The blackout ended minutes ago and lights in the city were back on. The cans of beer they had consumed were now empty and placed neatly on the ground for later disposal. Jaemin was having a hard time trying to not let his feelings seep through his voice then. He couldn’t deny that there was still _something_ there each time he looked over at those crescent eyes or hear the silent rumble beside him, traces of both a smile and a laughter lingering on Jeno’s face. Jaemin has this unbelievable urge to take his hand and run away with him, to get lost somewhere and maybe do things—things he wouldn’t even think of doing with a sober and rational mind. The sound of his phone brings him back to the present. 

 

_will be a little late in picking u up_

 

Jaemin reads and chuckles a bit. He’s forgotten how stiff the older guy was when it came to time. He types in something and tells Jeno to not rush himself and to not text him while he was driving. Thinking back to the other night, Jaemin has come to the realization that he’s having a hard time not lying to himself, as of late. It’s mainly about his feelings which involves Jeno; and Jaemin would much rather bury his emotions and keep it locked three hundred feet below the ground, but he knew that sooner or later he’d have to address (and negotiate with) his feelings. He’s all kinds of confused and nervous. A manifestation would be the other night when Jaemin was already jittery even before dinner over at Jeno’s. “Real smooth,” he says out loud after recalling again and he slaps himself lightly. “Why did I ask him to buy one?” 

 

_  
“You seem mad at me,” the food on Jaemin’s plate was now almost empty. He feels guilty about… everything that has happened in the last thirty minutes and he wants nothing more than for the ground to swallow him whole._

_Jeno visibly sighs, “I’m not mad at you, Nana. Why would I be?”_

_You have every right to be annoyed at me, Jaemin wanted to counter. Even he would get annoyed at himself. Instead, he continues to play with the peas left on his plate. Jaemin wants to make up for what happened tonight, so he racks his brain for possible ways on how to get back to Jeno’s good graces. It takes him five torturous and long minutes before he comes up with something. It’ll be hitting two birds with one stone, he praises himself._

_“Say, Jeno, would you want to go to the beach with me over the weekend?”_

 

The thing is, he wasn’t even making things up about the candles. Jaemin’s been thinking of a possible way of helping those under his foundation and the candles seemed like a great idea as it was currently a booming industry. What he never planned, however, was actually _selling_ them to Jeno. He didn’t even plan on showing him the candles in the first place. Jaemin just… chickened out and didn’t push through with what he had wanted to do originally. Again, he’s all kinds of confused and he isn’t the most confident person he could be but what he did was another level of dumbassery.

 

But above all, Jaemin was so afraid that with what he has thought of and planned might once again be stepping out of line. So many things were still unsaid and this kind of situation and atmosphere between the two of them has happened more than they would like it to, why wouldn’t Jaemin want to piss himself when the possibility of ruining their relationship _yet again_ was big and looming?

 

And yet somehow, as Jaemin stands up to greet the older guy on the other side of his front door, deep down he feels as if things would be different this time around.

 

〜

 

The last time Jeno visited the beach was the day he got back from Europe. He’s been so busy with setting up his company that he rarely has time for leisurely things, much less to travel and wander to the beach.

 

“Let’s park behind that one seafood restaurant, instead, okay?” Jaemin instructs before turning up the volume of the radio. It was only four in the afternoon and they still had around twenty minutes before reaching their destination. With the windows down, the soft pre-autumn breeze, and the late afternoon sunlight over them, Jeno couldn’t help but feel awestruck at how beautiful Jaemin is whenever his eyes travel to his right. He thinks the guy seated beside him should be considered as a driving hazard. He cringes at the cheesiness of his thoughts. “The one near the bridge to the beach?”

 

Jaemin looks at him, shyly, Jeno notes, and smiles again. “Yes. I want to walk down the bridge. Is that fine with you?” The older guy swears nothing could top off the younger’s beauty.

 

“No problem,” there was a strong urge to hold Jaemin’s hands, but Jeno wasn’t sure if he was allowed to. Actually, he wasn’t sure of a lot of things.

 

They were friends. Well, they’ve _always_ been friends, despite everything that has happened in the span of them knowing each other. They’ve had their fair share of ups and downs together, and lately it’s all been up. Frankly, Jeno was scared. It’s like they’re back on unstable footing, barely keeping themselves safe from breaking the thin ice they were walking on. But this time, he decides to trust the universe. Hopeful once again, he tries to not think of all the what ifs and instead focus on what’s next and their present. They arrive soon enough, and after picking up the mats and a basket that Jaemin has filled with sandwiches and juice pouches they proceed to walk over the bridge towards the beach. The sun was starting to color the sky with pinks and oranges and this time, Jaemin catches him by surprise. The younger reaches his hand out and holds Jeno’s slightly larger one, intertwining them without warning. Jeno notes the pinkness in the younger’s cheeks wasn’t due to the late afternoon sunlight. “Let’s go!”

 

〜

 

“Hey, Jeno?”

“Yes, Jaemin?”

 

_As much as we  
Spent time together_

 

“Can you close your eyes for a bit?”

 

_Our expectations went up too  
Maybe that’s just natural_

 

“And not look at the beautiful sky and scenery around me?”

“Stop laughing and just do it!”

“You’re laughing too! Hey, don’t hit me! Alright, I’m gonna close my eyes.”

 

_What’s important is us_

 

“What’s that I’m hearing—hey, you’re not planning on leaving me here now, are you?”

“I don’t have the keys to your car, dummy. Keep those eyes closed!”

 

_It’s just taking another step forward  
Our past tells us_

 

“Hey, Nana? Are you still there?”

“Yeah, just… give me a moment.”

 

_You should know that  
I’m always on your side_

 

“Are you okay? Why does your voice suddenly sound so… small?”

 

_So whenever you ask me again  
How I feel_

 

“Yeah, everything is good…”

 

_Please remember_

 

“You can open your eyes now.”

 

_My answer is you_

 

“Wha—” the joke Jeno prepared dies in his tongue even before he could start articulating the words. The moment he opened his eyes he’s greeted by a kneeling Jaemin in front of him, looking bashful and small. Jeno knew better than to assume but _fuck_ , his heart couldn’t help but beat faster, his mind couldn’t help but to think and think and think of other possibilities on what this was, and his hands were starting to get clammy. Good thing he was sitting down on the mat and not standing up, because he figured his legs would have been turned into jelly and he wouldn’t be able to stand upright. He’s so scared out of his wits and so, so thrilled at what this might mean. “Nana?”

 

It was hard to try and keep his breathing even, to try and not run away from the man who somehow always found a way back to him, and Jaemin thinks it’s definitely hard to try and finally start talking because he’s probably been kneeling for far too long and he doesn’t want to look any more stupid than he did to onlookers. He clears his throat and tried to meet Jeno who was still wide-eyed. He wonders how much courage it took the other during that one fateful night to try and do this (well, of course, Jeno didn’t _really_ do it in the end but Jaemin knows that he’d been meaning to do it for a whole year). He doesn’t trust his hands enough to not let this small box fall out of his grip, but he holds it still, willing his hands not to shake as much as his voice. “I know things between the two of us over the last couple of years have been...perplexing. And I’m also aware that whatever I’m trying to do right now might finally ruin the bond that we have lest you finally decide you don’t want me in your life anymore,” _deep breaths, Jaemin. Deep breaths,_ “But this is something that I’ve thought of for a while and I know it’s selfish on my part but I don’t want to beat around the bushes anymore when it comes to our feelings. We’re not getting any younger, and I’m not saying we’re old either,” Jaemin knows he’s just word vomiting at this point but he can’t stop running his mouth. It was better than to keep everything and never let these out.

 

_I will still feel the same_

 

Jeno was trying so hard not to let his tears spill. This was happening, right? Whatever it was that he thinks is happening is happening. Jaemin has rendered him speechless and it’s taking every fiber of his being to not break down because he’s so overwhelmed by his emotions. Jaemin moves closer to caress his cheeks and lightly plants a kiss on his forehead and there it goes: the waterworks have finally been freed and he doesn’t even realize that he’s clinging to the younger’s arms. Fuck, his emotions were all over the place and he didn’t care if people were starting to stare at them. He couldn’t care less about what he looked like or what the others might say. Jeno’s only focus was on the sweet murmurs being whispered in his ear and the gentle pats on his head. Nothing was being asked and yet he’s already a mess. God, he wanted to hate Jaemin for taking him by surprise like this. He separates their bodies and finally looks at the younger’s eyes, now also glassy with unspilled tears. Jaemin smiles at him before creating just enough distance between them and he finally opens the small velvet box he’s been holding on to since earlier.

 

_I want to try again_

 

“Lee Jeno, will you marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of things I never got to address in this last one but I hope I still managed to deliver :) a lot of my readers probably wanted this so here you go, I hope you guys enjoyed this alternate ending. Until the next one!
> 
>  
> 
> Also! If you want to see what their friends’ reactions are head over here: https://twitter.com/kyungtennie/status/1050026009049755648?s=21

**Author's Note:**

> send me love, hate, or just scream at me over this or my nomin twitter au @kyungtennie
> 
> this was written at 2 am on a whim/as a way of procrastination aka me refusing to do my report due in less than 10 hours pls pray for me (which also means this is unbetad but lmao)


End file.
